Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away, so naturally it’s time to start talking about Christmas. And to get you into the spirit of the season, San Francisco distillery Hotaling & Co. just announced the release of the 2025 edition of its Old Potrero Christmas Spirit, an expression that was distilled from beer and aged in used barrels.
Hotaling & Co. used to be known as Anchor Distilling Company, which was founded in 1993 as an offshoot of Anchor Brewing as the distillery where Junipero Gin and Old Potrero Rye Whiskey would be made—both early leading examples of craft versions of their categories. To the dismay of many beer fans, Sapporo, which owned Anchor Brewing, shut it down in 2023 ending a run of almost 50 years of releasing its annual Christmas Ale (not to mention the iconic Anchor Steam Ale). That seasonal beer was an ale made from a secret recipe that changed from year to year, but often included things like orange or honeysuckle. In 2024, billionaire Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and CEO of Chobani yogurt, purchased the brewery, but it as of this month it has not reopened—and according to some reports, it may never operate again.
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Still, the distillery continues to make gin, rye whiskey, and sometimes other spirits that don’t fit into these categories like Old Potrero Christmas Spirit. Last year’s release was the first, distilled from San Francisco Christmas Ale from 2011 and aged for at least 12 years in once-used Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey barrels. This year’s release differs in that it was distilled from San Francisco Christmas Ale from 2015 and aged for nine years in used Old Potrero barrels. “This special release brings together San Francisco’s rich brewing traditions and pioneering distilling innovations into one very delicious whiskey designed to bring joy to the holiday season,” said Liz Brusca, VP of marketing at Hotaling & Co., in a statement.
We did not get to try this year’s Christmas Spirit, but the official tasting notes sound, naturally, very Christmasy. The nose leads with a “bouquet of spiced fruit cake, candied orange and evergreen,” followed by “flavors of sweet malt, baking spices, fresh ginger, and light oak” on the palate. And each bottle features a little card on the neck in case you want to gift it to someone. You can purchase a bottle now from the Old Potrero website (SRP $140), and you can find the rest of the portfolio at websites like ReserveBar now.
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